Retracting type theater chair



J. J. ROMAN RETRACTING TYPE THEATER CHAIR Feb. 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug. 2, 1946 INVENTOR Jbhn I ROmau BY Momma Feb. 28, 1950 Y J. J.ROMAN 2,499,112 RETRACTING TYPE THEATER CHAIR Filed Aug. 2, 1946 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jalzu .7; Roman ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 28, 1950RETRACTING TYPE THE E CHAIR .IolmJ. Roman, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignorto American Seating. Company," GrandsI tapids Mich., a corporation ofNew Jersey Application August 2,1946, Seridl-Noz'6873936 The: presentinvention relates to chairs and more particularly to' chairs o'f'theretracting type for installation in theaters, auditoriums and the like.

The primary objects: of the invention are to provide an improved chairof the retracting type wherein the chair occupant may move rearwardly ina sitting position inorder topermit-other theater patrons to passinfront of him; to provide such a chair which is of simple constructionand which comprises few moving parts; to provide such a chair which maybe easily and comfortably retracted an returned to forward position bythe chair occupant; and in general to provide a retracting chair whichis efficient in operation, reasonably economical in manufacture, andattractive in appearance.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a retracting chair in its forwardposition of occupancy;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the same taken on line 22 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing the right handside of the chair;

Figure 4 is a perspective View similar to Figure 1 and showing the chairin its rearwardly retracted position; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 I and showing the partsof the chair in their rearwardly moved positiona Referring now in detailto these drawings, the retracting chair there shown is mounted upon aframe which comprises spaced, upright standards H) which may be securedto the floor in any conventional manner and which are desirablyconnected by a suitable cross-tie ll. Arm rests l2 are mounted atop eachstandard It and secured thereto in any conventional manner.

The chair proper generally comprises aseat and back assembly in whichthe chair seat 13 and thei'chair back M are pivotally connected forrelative movement. The cha'irback I4 is provided with brackets I5secured to the opposite sides thereof as by screws I6 and havingforwardly extending, arms I! pivotally connected to upward extensions orhorns l8 on the standards Ill. The chair seat I3 is mounted on spacedseat carriers l9 at opposite sides thereof by means of seat mountingbrackets 20 secured to the seat I3 as by rivets 2| and which brackets 29are pivotally connected at 22 to the seat carriers IS.

The rearward ends of the seat carriers I! are pivotally connected at 23to downwardly and forwardly extending arms 24 secured to the op- 2Claims. (01. -116),

posite sides of the? chair back [4: as by screws 25; thus connecting theseat and back in pivoted assembly and providing a rea-rsu-pport for theseat carriers l9: The seat carriers are supported in thefront by meansof links 26 swingably depending: fromv the standards i0, said links 26having theirrupper ends pivota-lly connected -to-the stand.- ards' Mrand: having: their lower ends pivotally connected to the lower ends ofdepending legs 21 on the seat carriers I9. It will be seen that thepivotal connections between the seat carriers 19 and the back M are aconsiderable distance below the pivotal connections of the brackets I!to the standards I0, and that the pivotal connections of the links 26 tothe standards are located at an intermediate level and forwardly of theformer connections. The pivotal connections of the links 26 to the backcarrier is forwardly of and below the pivotal connections of the backcarriers and the back. By this arrangement of connections, the seat ismoved rearwardly in a substantially horizontal path when the chair isretracted by its occupant from its position shown in Figure 2 to itsposition shown in Figure 5, while the back is moved rearwardly in itslower portion and slightly forwardly in its upper portion and thuscaused to assume a near-vertical position. The space to the rear of thechair required for retraction is thus kept to a minimum.

Rearward retracting movement of the chair is stopped by contact of thelinks 26 with stops or bumpers 28 secured to the standards, whileforward returning movement of the chair is stopped by contact of saidlinks 26 with similar stops or bumpers 29. I

The chair seat 29 may be folded upwardly to facilitate sweeping underthe chair independently of its retracting and returning-movements, byreason of its pivotal mountings on the seat carriers l9, andthe seat issupported in its lowered, substantially horizontal position foroccupancy by'cooperating stops 3!! on the brackets 20, and 3| on theseat carriers |9-.

It will be understood that numerousdetails of construction of theparticular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings may bealtered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention asthe same is defined by the following claims:

and rearwardly-of the arm rests. a back, means for mounting said back onthe standards comprising brackets secured to the upper part of the backand having forwardly extending arms pivotally connected to the horns onthe standards, seat carriers having their rearward ends pivotallyconnected to the back at its opposite sides below the pivotalconnections of said brackets to the standards, said seat carriers havingleg portions depending from their forward ends to points near the bottomof the standards, a seat mounted on the seat carriers, and linksswin'gably depending from the upper and forward portions of thestandards and having their lower ends pivotally connected to the lowerends of the seat carriers depending leg portions.

2. In a chair, spaced upright chair-supporting standards, arm rests onsaid standards, horns on the standards extending upwardly therefrom andrearwardly of the arm rests, a back, means for mounting said back on thestandards comprising brackets secured to the upper part of the back andhaving forwardly extending arms pivotally connected to the horns on thestandards, seat carriers having their rearward ends pivotally connectedto the back at its opposite sides below the pivotal connections of saidbrackets to the standards, said seat carriers having leg portionsdepending from their forward ends to points near the bottom of thestandards, a. seat mounted on the seat carriers turnably about a.horizontal axis, cooperating stops on the seat and the seat f"-carriersfor supporting the forward portion of the seat when the same is in asubstantially hori- JOHN J. ROMAN.

REFERENCE S CITED I The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 320,265 Maddox June 16, 1885766,836 Miller et a1. Aug. 9, 1904 1,802,318 Hanson Apr. 21, 19312,336,031 Orton Dec. '7, 1943 2,346,629 Travers Apr. 11, 1944 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 105,744 Austria Nov. 17, 1938

